June 12
...serving up your daily dish.
Did somebody declare yesterday the Official Party Night of the year and forget to send us the memo? More importantly, did they forget to send us the invitations?
Not to worry, the Barista did have a party to go last night. We attended a book party in Manhattan for the impeccably-timed Guantanamo tell-all, "Inside the Wire" and got to hang out with our old friends, that dynamic duo of journalism and joie de vivre, Debby Baldwin and Irwin Arieff, who hosted the wingding.
But on the way home, we were startled discover not one, not two, but three huge parties on Ridgewood Ave. (the kind where the parked cars stretch for blocks on both sides of the street). In addition to those three, there was a big tent party for 7th graders on Forest Ave. in Glen Ridge last night, which featured a disc jockey from Z100, a party at the Glen Ridge train station, mobs of people outside Rita's Ices on Broad Street in Bloomfield and wandering bands of teenagers milling around the side streets of Glen Ridge around at 11 pm.
We have no idea what was going on over at Upper Mountain or Lloyd Road, but we have a feeling there people knocking back Mai Tais there too. In fact, we'd wager that there were as many parties going on in Baristaville last night as there were the Saturday before Christmas. So, what gives? Early graduation parties? Celebrations of humidity? Tell us where you were, who you saw, what they wore and whether anybody hung from a chandelier or left with the wrong spouse.
June 12, 2005 in Our Favorite Diversions | Permalink
Lots of "Toast to the Teachers" bashes this weekend, the house parties in conjunction with MFEE.
Posted by: Liz | Jun 12, 2005 10:07:05 AM
"Guantanamo tell-all" book party?
A Tokyo Rose-athon?
Posted by: Right of Center | Jun 12, 2005 10:14:17 AM
The other half of Baristaville seemed to be at Bellevue Theater, where we saw Bobbi and Steve, who appeared to be heading to the next showing of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, which we had just caught. More crowds at Egan's, which was packed at 10 pm, when we grabbed a brew and gabbed with Dick Grabowsky, Egan's hostess Maryellen, and Peter Mock and his lovely wife.
Posted by: Liz | Jun 12, 2005 10:23:54 AM
Those were early grad parties in GR, my son went to one.
I went to the Bellevue to see the "Lords of Dogtown" which brought back major memories of growing up in the early 70s in LA...
Posted by: Pam | Jun 12, 2005 2:50:24 PM
the party in bloomfield on fri was awesome and there were a few celebs there too - ok not like hollywood - but still interesting, i got to meet sophia coppola who i love and kevin smith the director and spencer tunick the 'nude photographer ' and sean lennon. oh and the band that played was really great too - i dont remember her name but if anyone else knows can you tell me?
Posted by: blasta | Jun 12, 2005 7:40:46 PM
We went to the Portugal Day celebration in Newark on Saturday....WHAT A BLAST! I haven't had so much fun at a partay since college. I told my boyfiend that I want to convert to Portuguese! Miles of delicious food (sorry, nothing low calorie unless you want to count corn on the cob), great music, dancing in the street, cool merchandise (esp. the jewelery).
This morning we went back for the 5K run and sweated our fannies off but it was fun even though it wasn't my best time.
Posted by: Miss Martta | Jun 12, 2005 9:17:01 PM
Fri we had dinner at Casa Turano and a hot fudge sundae at Holstens -with their great cherry chip icecream - crowds at Ritas - and jammed at Holstens...still great icecream
aot
Posted by: adriana | Jun 12, 2005 9:31:59 PM
Spill the beans, what party in Bloomfield on Friday?? Something at 12Miles perhaps?
I love Spencer's work (not that I think that I would actually participate in one - LOL!)
Posted by: Anne | Jun 13, 2005 6:52:12 AM
The party on Forest Avenue was simply an end of school year party for the 7th graders. Next time we will invite Barista for some on-the-scene reporting. In the meantime, there is still time to help out with the cleanup!
Posted by: Forest Avenue | Jun 13, 2005 7:59:49 AM
My home was the scene of another party in Bloomfield on Saturday night to celebrate elder daughter's 15th birthday. Her great group of friends from BHS attended; we had Chinese food from Tao Yuan(?) on Glenwood Ave. and ice cream cake from Magic Fountain; who could ask for anything more? (How did she get to be fifteen, anyway? -- She was just toddling around a minute ago!)
Posted by: Terry | Jun 13, 2005 11:25:56 AM
Apparently not ALL seventh graders, as 2 of them were at my house studying for finals, neither one having a shred of knowledge about any 7th grade party.
Posted by: sue | Jun 13, 2005 12:00:25 PM
Anne,
it was at the house of my boyfriend's friend. he is an artist that used to live in montclair but now lives in bloomfield. Spencer was very very cool - i looked at his website after meeting him and was so impressed by the scope of his work. I am still trying to rmember the name of the woman who performed at the party - she was great - sorta a funk/americana feel.
Posted by: blasta | Jun 13, 2005 1:28:50 PM
Pam, do you think "Dogtown" is appropriate for a 9 year old skateboarding enthusiast?
Posted by: walleroo | Jun 13, 2005 2:21:10 PM
Walleroo-
Depends on your kid, but I'd say probably no.
This is a very accurate and real life depiction of surf/skate life in the early 70s in LA.
I don't recall any sex scene, nor much profanity in the movie, but there is a whole lot of drug and alcohol use.
Posted by: Pam | Jun 13, 2005 6:57:21 PM
OY!! Did we party this weekend!
First--Saturday was daughter's 11-year-old birthday party, a 22-hour affair involving the Liberty Science Center, Imax movie, pizza, cake and sleepover. This overlapped with Sunday's all-day secular-humanist Bar Mitzvah-- ceremony in the AM, lavish party in the afternoon. Which overlapped with a "Toast to the Teacher" from 4 to 8 PM Sunday.
Followed by passing out in front of the TV at 9 PM while attempting to watch "I Heart Huckabees." Still recovering.
Posted by: latebloomer | Jun 13, 2005 9:55:33 PM
